Dana White's Contender Series
Daniel Zellhuber | Dana White’s Contender Series Grad Showcase
Highlighting Fighters Who Made Their Mark On Dana White’s Contender Series And Have Continued To Impress In The UFC
Dana White’s Contender Series has proven to be a launching pad for rising UFC stars, offering fighters the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of the UFC CEO.
With one chance to make an impression, DWCS fighters can earn a UFC contract based solely on their performance that night if White believes they have what it takes to compete with UFC talent.
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In this series, we showcase DWCS grads who have started to rise the ranks since earning their UFC contract on the show. Next up: one of Mexico’s hottest prospects, 25-year-old lightweight Daniel Zellhuber, who competes this Saturday at UFC 306: O’Malley vs Dvalishvili at Sphere in Las Vegas.
Daniel Zellhuber
Entering his Dana White’s Contender Series bout a perfect 10-0, Zellhuber quickly proved he was ready to compete against UFC-caliber opposition. In Season 5, Zellhuber squared off against then-undefeated Lucas Almeida, who came into their bout with an 11-0 record and a 100 percent finish rate.
Throughout the fight, Almeida landed several heavy shots, testing Zellhuber’s iron chin. In the second round, Zellhuber managed his distance effectively and began landing his kicks, keeping Almeida at bay. He also mixed in a takedown and controlled Almeida for over 90 seconds. Zellhuber finished the round looking confident, even putting his hands behind his back to invite pressure from Almeida.
Dana White's Contender Series: Season 8, Week 5 Preview | How To Watch
The third round was Zellhuber’s best; he out-landed Almeida by the widest margin of the night, which secured him a unanimous decision victory. After 15 minutes, Dana White rose to his feet and applauded their performances.
“This fight was unbelievable,” White said at the end of the show. “…First of all, [Zellhuber’s] got an incredible chin, well-rounded game, he’s only 22 years old. Usually, I look at guys a couple years older, but he’s 12-0 at 22 years old. You never see that. He said something about fighting like a real Mexican. This dude fights like a real Mexican. He’s awesome, I love everything about him.”
One year later, Zellhuber faced the first setback of his professional career in his promotional debut against Trey Ogden. He returned to the Octagon seven months later to face Lando Vannata, this time with a new approach: just being himself. And when Zellhuber is true to himself, it typically leads to a positive outcome.
This fight looked very similar to his Dana White’s Contender Series bout, however, his minute-and-a-half of control time in the first round didn’t stem from a takedown. A huge knee up the middle and a flurry of punches sat Vannata down and, for a moment, it looked like the fight was over.
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To Vannata’s credit, he defended very well, eventually getting back to his feet with just over 30 seconds to go in the round. For the remainder of the fight, Zellhuber continued to show off his striking game, ultimately outlanding Vannata 84-51 en route to a unanimous decision victory.
Prior to his third fight in the Octagon, Zellhuber said he was going to “show everybody what level I am,” and he couldn’t have asked for a brighter spotlight to shine under than at UFC’s inaugural Noche UFC event against Christos Giagos.
Daniel Zellhuber Interview | UFC 306
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Daniel Zellhuber Interview | UFC 306
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With under two minutes to go in the second round, Zellhuber landed a right hook that sent Giagos retreating to the side of the Octagon. As Zellhuber closed the distance, Giagos shot for a takedown, which Zellhuber wisely defended and quickly reversed into an anaconda choke that forced a very quick tap. Zellhuber’s third submission and first UFC finish earned him Performance of the Night honors at the historic event.
In February, Zellhuber made it two bonuses in two fights at UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2 when he took on Francisco Prado. The two went toe-to-toe for 15 minutes, landing over 200 total strikes while throwing over 500. Zellhuber earned a decisive unanimous decision win, extending his win streak to three.
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Zellhuber is now less than a week away from the biggest test of his UFC career: a main card clash against Esteban Ribovics at UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili, which is not only the promotion’s second Noche UFC, but also a one-of-a-kind event at Sphere in Las Vegas.
Ribovics, a fellow Dana White’s Contender Series grad, has followed a similar path since earning a UFC contract. After suffering a defeat in his debut, he clawed from behind to earn a unanimous decision win over Kamuela Kirk and is coming off a spectacular, 37-second head kick knockout of Terrance McKinney.
